Welcome to the place where I share my adventures in the kitchen with the world. This page has seen quite a few changes over the years, and no doubt has more to follow. This is where I share recipes, document travel adventures, and share some of my photographs. Please feel free to add a few comments and join the discussion.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

I would like to add the
recipe for a properly made Pasty to the list of topics to avoid at all cost. when in a social environment. I
have many people get upset with me that I do not make pasties quite the way
their mothers did by adding carrots, using sliced or cubed filling. Where
the pastry is crimped doesn’t even register with me as an issue worthy of
debate. I only care if it is flavorful, and I’ll be happy having it as a snack…..
Then again the Cornish pasty is derived from Cornwall, England and the
residents there don’t even agree on how to make a pasty so I don’t think the
issue is ever going to be resolved.

I think of the
pasty as a comfort food, and couldn't care less if it is crimped on the top or the
side. I don’t add carrots to mine, but I know many people do. I know the wives
of many miners made them for their husbands to take to work. I know that some
even added a sweet filling to a corner of the pasty so dessert and entrée could
co-exist peacefully. I know a bunch of
people who live in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin not only eat them, but
take them seriously enough to bend my ear about technique once they hear the
word pasty.

When I make pasties
I don’t even follow the recipe exactly as it is written below because I make
dozens at a time.I blanch my vegetables
ahead of time, and fold them into my beef just before stuffing my pastry.
Speaking of pastry, I use puff pastry for my pasties because I like the texture
over the traditional crust. I cook my beef in a slow cooker for several hours
with the herbs, spices and Demi-glace that make the pasties that leave my
kitchen tender, and well-seasoned little bundles of Joy that I think you too
will enjoy.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

Puff Pastry Sheets

-or-

10 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

pinch salt

5oz cold unsalted butter

cold water, to mix

For the filling:

1 teaspoon olive oil

12oz eye of round steak, cut into cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and finely chopped

3 medium turnips, peeled and finely chopped

1(6oz) rutabaga, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pinch ground mace

¼ cup demi-glace

Sea salt and ground white pepper

2 tablespoons water (optional)

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

HP brown sauce, to serve (optional)

Steps:

1. If making the pastry from scratch, sift the flour and
salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pea sized pieces and add to the
flour. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture
resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add a little cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until
the butter and flour mixture begins to come together. Using your hands, bring
the dough together into a ball, then wrap in cling film and place into the
fridge to chill while you make the filling.

3. For the filling, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan.
Place the beef into the pan and sear on all sides, then remove from the pan and
set aside.

4. Add the onion to the pan (adding a little extra oil,
if necessary) and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until soft.

5. Add the potato, rutabaga, turnips, Worcestershire
sauce, demi-glace and dried thyme. Season the mixture well with mace, salt and
ground white pepper and stir.

Cover with a lid and cook gently for 5-10 minutes, or
until the vegetables are just tender. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan if
the mixture becomes too dry.

6. Return the beef to the pan and stir well, then remove
from the heat and leave to cool.

7. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to
approximately 1/4 inch thick. Using an upturned saucer or small plate as a
guide, cut out circles about 8 inches in diameter.

9. Place the filling in the center of each pastry circle.
Brush the edges with beaten egg and fold the pastry over the filling to make a
half-moon shape. Using your fingers, crimp the edges together to

Seal the dough, and prevent the filling from bursting out
when baking.

10. Place the pasties onto a parchment lined sheet pan
and brush with more beaten egg. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20
minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Every year people get a little excited as Stone Crab season approaches, and that just happens to be one of the treats to living in South Florida. The fact is there's a restaurant in Miami that is only open during Stone Crab season, and the waiting list for people to get a job there is that talk of the town in the Hospitality Industry. I guess there's something to be said for a place that shuts down a few months a year, and just about everyone working there is pulling in great money. If you're looking to try your hand at Stone Crabs just grab some of our Bayou La Batre Crab Seasoning, mix up a cup of Mustard Sauce, and Start cracking claws! We often have people asking how to make this sauce so we decided to post the recipe for the most popular sauce out there for Stone Crab. This is the recipe for the sauce that is still served at the world famous Joe's Stone Crab in Miami.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Colman's dry mustard, or to taste

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon A-1 Sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Steps:

Place the mustard in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, A-1 Sauce, cream and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended. If you'd like a little stronger mustard profile simply whisk in 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard. Chill the sauce, covered, in the refrigerator until serving.

6. Preheat deep fryer to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a cooling rack. Season hot tomatoes with sea salt and black pepper.

Monday, March 5, 2012

While many cooks will
associate this recipe as being Shepherd’s Pie, the fact is authentic Shepherd’s
Pie is made with Lamb, or Mutton.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 Pounds ground beef

1 onions, finely chopped

½ Cup cooked carrots, diced

½ Cup green peas, blanched

1 garlic clove, finely minced*

1½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoons tomato paste

½ Cup red wine (optional)

2 Cups beef stock

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon Fresh thyme leaf

1 bay leaf

2 Pounds Yukon gold potatoes, chopped

1/2 Cup whole milk

3 ounces unsalted butter

½ pound sharp cheddar, grated

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt & freshly milled black pepper

Steps:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan and fry the beef
until browned. Drain and reserve.

Add the rest of the
oil to the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until just soft.
Add the garlic, flour and tomato paste, increase the heat and cook for a few minutes.

Return the beef to the pan, and add the wine, if using, and
boil to reduce it slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce and fresh
herbs.

Bring to a simmer and
cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the gravy is thick and just coating
the meat.

When the sauce is reduced, adjust the seasoning with salt
& pepper then discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, make the mashed potatoes. In a large saucepan,
cover the potatoes in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until
tender. Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few minutes Mash well with
the milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese, then season with the
nutmeg, salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste.

Spoon the cooked meat into the bottom of a 9 x 12x 3 ovenproof
dish.

Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat, and smooth to cover
evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Heat oven to 350°F
and bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

*Note, to keep your Peas bright green during the cooking
process you can add an acid such as lemon juice or vitamin C to the cooking
water, or add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to 1 Quart of boiling water that will
be used for cooking. Shock your peas in ice water to stop the cooking process
immediately once they are just tender.

1.Place 4 eggs in a small saucepan; add cold water
to cover. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes; remove from heat, cover, and let
stand for 3 minutes. Carefully drain, then fill pan with ice water to cool
eggs. Gently crack shells and carefully peel under cold running water. Place
eggs in a bowl of cold water; cover and chill until cold.

2.Place flour in a wide shallow bowl and add Panko
breadcrumbs to another wide shallow bowl.

3.Add Minced Onion, Thyme, and Mace to the English
sausage, and mix well.

4.Divide sausage into 4 equal portions. Pat out 1
portion of sausage into a thin patty over the length of your palm.

5.Lay one egg on top of sausage and wrap sausage
around egg, sealing to completely enclose. Repeat with remaining sausage and
eggs.

6.Whisk remaining 2 eggs in a medium bowl to
blend. Working gently with 1 sausage-wrapped egg at a time, dip eggs into
flour, shaking off excess, then coat in egg wash. Roll in breadcrumbs to coat.

7.Heat deep fryer to 350°F. Fry eggs, turning
occasionally and maintaining oil temperature of 350°, until sausage is cooked
through and breading is golden brown and crisp, 5–6 minutes. Use a slotted
spoon to transfer eggs to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt and
pepper to taste.

1.To make your mushy peas, put the butter in a medium
saucepan with the peas and the chopped mint. Put a lid on top and simmer for
about 10 minutes.

2.Add the lemon juice to the peas and adjust seasoning
with salt and pepper.

3.Mash the peas up in a food processor, or by hand
until they are thick and perfect for dipping your fish into. Keep them covered,
over warm heat while you cook your fish and chips.

4.Pour the Canola oil into your deep fat fryer or
a large frying pan and heat to 375°F.

5.Mix the salt and pepper together and season the fish
filets on both sides. Allow to rest 10 minutes as this will help to remove any
excess water from the fish.

6.To make the batter mix the flour, beer and
baking powder together until nice and shiny. The texture should be thick enough
to coat the fish.

7.Dust each fish filet in seasoned flour, then dip
into the batter and allow any excess to drip off.

8.Holding one end, lower the fish filets into the
oil one by one, carefully so you don't get splashed – it will depend on the
size of your fryer how many fish you can do at once. Cook for 4 minutes or so,
until the batter is golden and crisp.

9.Place the fish on a baking tray and put them in
the oven for 5-7 minutes at 350°F to finish cooking while you fry the
chips.

10.Parboil your potatoes in salted boiling water
for about 4 or 5 minutes until softened but still retaining their shape, then
drain and leave to steam until completely dry.

11.When all the moisture has disappeared, fry the
potatoes in the oil that the fish were cooked in at 350°F until golden and crisp.

12.When the potatoes are done, drain them on a
paper towel, season with salt, and serve with the fish and mushy peas.

1.Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large
bowl. Add half of the butter. Using your hands, gently toss the butter to coat
each piece with flour. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour
until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Add the remaining butter and the
shortening, gently toss, and quickly cut again until the larger pieces are
about the size of peas.

2.While tossing the mixture with your hand,
sprinkle the ice water on top. Continue to toss between your fingers until
moistened evenly. The dough should look shiny but hold together when gently
squeezed in the palm of your hand. If not, add a little more water. Gather the
dough into a ball—don’t knead it, just squeeze it into one solid mass. Press
the dough into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic film. Refrigerate for at
least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

3.Roll out the dough to approximately
1/8-inch-thick on a lightly floured surface, 12 to 13 inches in diameter.

4.Gently fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate,
being careful not to stretch it. Trim the edge to allow 1/2-inch overhang.

5.Fold the dough under to create a thick edge—if
some areas are uneven, use the trimmings to bulk them up. Crimp the edge.

6.Dock the dough all over with a fork. Cover and
refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

7.Position a rack in the center of the oven and
heat the oven to 425°F.

8.Line the pie shell with parchment or foil and
fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are just beginning
to turn golden, about 15 minutes.

9.Carefully remove the parchment and weights and
reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.

10.Continue to bake the crust until the bottom of
the crust looks dry and is just beginning to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes
more. Cool completely on a wire rack.

11.Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Pierce each
potato once to allow steam to vent and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until
tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.

12.When the potatoes are cool enough to handle,
peel them and cut away any dark spots. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or
potato ricer; you’ll need 2 cups. (The potatoes can be prepared to this point
up to a day ahead. Refrigerate and return to room temperature before continuing
with the recipe.)